The present invention relates to a method for preventing or treating autoimmune diseases in a mammal which comprises administering the mammal an effective amount of at least one furanone derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
The disease caused by autoantibody inducing tissue damage is referred as an autoimmune disease, for example, collagen disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis, demyelinating disease such as multiple sclerosis or postvaccinal encephalomyelitis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Hashimoto's disease and the like.
Adrenocorticotropic hormone, immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory are generally used as a therapeutic drug for autoimmune diseases. However, an autoimmune disease has not been made so clear that there is no specific drug at present.
As a result of investigations for allergy and immunity involving autoimmune diseases, the present inventors have found that furanone derivatives of the present invention have excellent immunosuppressive effect for preventing or treating autoimmune diseases.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing or treating autoimmune diseases in a mammal which comprises administering the mammal an effective amount of at least one furanone derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.